Paul Smith

Welcome to our CaringBridge site. We've created it to keep friends and family updated. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement during this time when it matters most.  As many of you know, Paul was diagnosed w/ malignant mucosal melanoma (stage 4) on Dec. 28th and we have just completed our initial visits w/ the KU Med Cancer team.  This is a extremely rare, aggressive type of cancer that even the KU doctors don't see very often.  There were no warning signs, other than what we thought was a sinus infection.  Once we realized it wasn't a normal infection, the cancer had already destroyed Paul's orbital bone and in the time it has taken to get to KU, his left eye has also been invaded.  Surgery will be this week and we know it's going to be tough but we are determined to beat the odds.  He will lose his left eye and his cheek area, then many weeks of radiation after that.  After successful radiation, doctors at KU will start the reconstruction surgeries.  On December 28th after the initial biopsy, the doctor told me it was going to be a very long road.  In the midst of a very painful couple of weeks, we have also felt the love and abundance of support from our family, friends, and co-workers.  Even though our world feels out of control at the moment, we feel EXTREMELY lucky to have our faith, family and friends behind us.  We can't thank everyone enough for the calls, cards and prayers especially.  Please keep praying for Paul as he goes through this!!  I will make sure to keep this updated so everyone knows what is going on and can send him good thoughts.  He is determined to be a cancer survivor and we are determined to do everything we can to help him! 
Thank you all for being there for us already!  We are blessed!
Chris